Federal Emergency Management Agency of the United StatesThe Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA is a government agency in the United States which is organized under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. The agency is charged with what it defines as four domains of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mainly, FEMA responds to any disaster that occurs in the United States that is declared a federal disaster area by the President of the United States. FEMA coordinates the work of federal, state, and local agencies in responding to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. FEMA provides financial assistance to individuals and governments to rebuild homes, businesses, and public facilities; trains firefighters and emergency medical professionals; and funds emergency planning throughout the United States and its territories. HistoryThe United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has existed in one form or another for over 200 years. The history of FEMA can be divided into the following parts. Pre-1930The first major disaster in the history of the United States was a series of devastating fires in the port city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Seventh Congress passed a number of measures in the Congressional Act of 1803, which provided relief for the merchants of Portsmouth by waiving duties and tariffs on goods. This is widely considered the first piece of legislation passed by the federal government that provided relief after a disaster and can be viewed as the beginnings of federal policies to provide relief after a disaster. Between 1803 and 1930, ad-hoc legislation was passed more than 100 times for relief or compensation after a disaster. Examples of these include the waiving of duties and tariffs to the merchants of New York City after a fire in the mid 1830’s. After President Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre, the 54th Congress passed legislation compensating those who were injured in the theatre. POOP Piecemeal Approach (1930s – 1960s)After the start of the Great Depression in 1929, President Herbert Hoover had commissioned the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) in 1932. The purpose of the RFC was to lend money to banks and institutions to stimulate economic activity. RFC was also responsible for dispensing federal dollars in the wake of a disaster. RFC can be considered the first organized federal disaster response agency. The Bureau of Public Roads in 1934 was given authority to finance the reconstruction of highways and roads after a disaster. The Flood Control Act of 1944 also gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authority over flood control and irrigation projects and thus played a major role in disaster recovery from flooding. This “piecemeal approach” to disaster recovery was troubled by poor interagency cooperation and bureaucratic red tape. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1960 -1979)By the start of the 1960’s, federal disaster relief and recovery was brought under the umbrella of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which created the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration. This agency would oversee disasters such as Hurricane Carla in 1962, Hurricane Betsy in 1965, Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the Alaskan (Good Friday) Earthquake of 1964 and the San Fernando Earthquake of 1971. Many government agencies were still involved in disaster relief, in some cases over 100 separate agencies may be jockeying for control and jurisdiction of a disaster. FEMA as an Independent Agency (1979 – 2003)In 1979, President Jimmy Carter, at the prompting of the National Governor’s Association, signed Executive Order 12148 which put a new agency, FEMA, in charge of coordinating all disaster relief efforts at the federal level. FEMA absorbed the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Preparedness Agency of the General Services Administration and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration activities from HUD. FEMA was also given the responsibility for overseeing the nation’s Civil Defense, a function which had previously been performed by the Department of Defense’s Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. One of the first disasters FEMA responded to was the dumping of toxic waste into Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York in the late 1970’s. FEMA also responded to the Three Mile Island nuclear accident where the nuclear generating station suffered a partial core meltdown. These disasters, while showing the agency could function properly, also uncovered some inefficiencies. In 1993 President Bill Clinton elevated FEMA to a cabinet level position and named James Lee Witt as FEMA Director. Witt initiated reforms that would help to streamline the disaster recovery and mitigation process. The end of the Cold War also allowed the agency’s resources to be turned away from civil defense to natural disaster preparedness. FEMA under DHS (2003 - Present)President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2004.Following the Terrorist Attacks of 11 September 2001, President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better coordinate between the different federal agencies that deal with law enforcement, disaster preparedness and recovery, border protection and civil defense. FEMA was absorbed into DHS as of 2003. As a result, FEMA became part of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of DHS, and employs more than 2,600 full time employees. In September, 2003, Michael D. Brown, FEMA's director and DHS Undersecretary, warned that the shift would make a mockery of FEMA's new motto, "A Nation Prepared," and would "fundamentally sever FEMA from its core functions," "shatter agency morale," and "break longstanding, effective and tested relationships with states and first responder stakeholders." The inevitable result of the reorganization of 2003, warned Brown, would be "an ineffective and uncoordinated response" to a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. [Washington Post Dec 23, 2005] FEMA and DHS both came under intense criticism for their handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005 (see Katrina and Criticism sections below). As a result, FEMA Director Michael Brown was relieved of command of the Gulf Coast region and resigned shortly thereafter. OrganizationToday, FEMA exists as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. The Director reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. FEMA currently manages the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program. Other programs FEMA previously administered have since been internalized or shifted under direct DHS control. Response CapabilitiesFEMA's emergency response is based around small, decentralized teams trained in such specialties as medical care, search and rescue, and communications. National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)These teams provide medical and allied care to disaster victims. Teams are made up of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc, and are typically sponsored by hospitals, public safety agencies, or private organizations. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) provide medical care at disasters and are typically made up of doctors and paramedics. There are also National Nursing Response Teams (NNRT), National Pharmacy Response Teams (NPRT), and Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT). Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) provide mortuary and forensic services. National Medical Response Teams (NMRT) are equipped to decontaminate victims of chemical and biological agents. Urban Search and Rescue (US&R)These task forces rescue victims of structural collapse and other confined spaces, ex. mines. Mobile Emergency Response Systems (MERS)These teams provide communications support to local public safety. For instance, they may operate a truck with satellite uplink, computers, telephone, and power generation at a staging area near a disaster, so that the responders can communicate with the outside world. There are also Mobile Air Transportable Telecommunications System (MATTS) assets which can be airlifted in. Response to Major DisastersHurricane Andrew - 1992(see also Hurricane Andrew) In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck the Florida and Louisiana coasts with 165 mph (265 km/h) sustained winds. FEMA was widely criticized for the agency’s response to Andrew, summed up by the famous exclamation, "Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one?" by Dade County, Florida, emergency management director Kate Hale. FEMA and the federal government at large were accused of not responding fast enough to house, feed, and sustain the approximately 250,000 people left homeless in the affected areas. Within five days, the federal government and neighboring states had dispatched 20,000 National Guard and active duty troops to South Dade County to set up temporary housing. FEMA had previously been criticized for its response to Hurricane Hugo, which hit South Carolina in September 1989, and many of the same issues that plagued the agency during Hurricane Andrew were also evident during the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Terrorist Attacks on 11 September, 2001(see also September 11 2001 attacks) In the minutes after the first hijacked plane slammed into the World Trade Center towers, FEMA as well as emergency services all over the city and state of New York were mobilized. FEMA had deployed 25 of the 28 Urban Search and Rescue teams at its disposal to the World Trade Center site, however the New York City Office of Emergency Management was in charge of the WTC recovery effort. FEMA played its largest role in the appropriation of federal funds to aid local and state governments in paying for the disaster. As of 2003, FEMA had received US$5.5 billion to distribute amongst local and state agencies to help offset the cost of recovery. Within the $5.5 billion, FEMA was also allotted funds to pay for its own recovery efforts. Hurricane Katrina – 2005Evacuees taking shelter at the Reliant Astrodome.(see also Hurricane Katrina) August 2005 saw one of the worst natural disasters in United States history. FEMA received intense criticism for its response to the disaster. FEMA had pre-positioned response personnel in the Gulf Coast region, however many were only able to report of dire situation along the Gulf Coast, especially from New Orleans. FEMA was responsible for the evacuation of the thousands of people who remained in New Orleans during the storm, as well as initial recovery work and appropriations. Within three days, a large contingent of National Guard and active duty troops were deployed to the region. The enormous number of evacuees simply overwhelmed rescue personnel. The situation was compounded by flood waters in the city that hampered transportation and poor communication between the federal government, state and local entities. FEMA was widely criticized for what is seen as a slow initial response to the disaster and an inability to effectively manage, care for and move those trying to leave the city. Then FEMA Director Michael D. Brown was criticized personally for a slow response and apparent disconnect with the actual situation on the ground. Michael Brown would eventually be relieved of command of the Katrina disaster and soon thereafter resign. Katrina was seen as the first major test of the nation’s new disaster response plan under DHS. It is widely held that many things did not function as planned. However, formal investigations have yet to determine who exactly is to blame (and to what extent) for the Katrina disaster. FEMA set a deadline of February 7, 2006 as the official end of any further coverage of temporary housing costs for Katrina victims. After the February 7 deadline, Katrina victims will be left to their own devices to either find permanent housing for the long term, or to continue in social welfare programs set up by other organizations. There are hundreds of thousands of Katrina evacuees living in temporary shelters and/or trailer parks set up by FEMA and other relief organizations in the first months after the disaster hit. The telephone number to receive disaster assistance from FEMA is 800-621-3362. Survivors of Katrina can learn more about FEMA assistance available at a wiki web site FEMAanswers.org. CriticismIn 1997, James Bovard criticized FEMA for subsidizing rebuilding in places that are vulnerable to natural disasters, asking, "[D]o we really want to help rebuild homes and government property in areas that should never have been built on in the first place?" He also claimed that localities are less likely to fund their own snow removal if they know the federal government will bail them out in the event of snow emergencies[1]. Moreover, he said that FEMA is used by incumbent presidents to shore up political support[2]. The Cato Institute's Handbook for Congress argues that private companies could perform the tasks carried about by FEMA, and that this would encourage home construction in safer areas[3]: FEMA does encourage disaster victims to reduce future losses by considering "taking steps to rebuild safer and smarter," advising them to[4]:
South Florida newspaper Sun-Sentinel has an extensive list of documented criticisms of FEMA during the four hurricanes that hit the region in 2004.[5] Some of the criticisms include:
Since Hurricane Katrina, some critics have called for FEMA to be removed from the Department of Homeland Security, saying that its position in the department badly hindered the agency's response. List of FEMA HeadsAs director of the agency:
As director of Cabinet-level agency:
As Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response within DHS
The President is currently hiring for this position. Qualified persons may submit applications here. After the formation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the official title of the head of FEMA became Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response. This position includes additional responsibilities beyond FEMA including the oversight of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Incident Response Team, or NIRT. FEMA in FictionIn The X-Files movie, Alvin Kurtzweil tells Fox Mulder that FEMA is involved in the global conspiracy involving aliens. In the computer game Deus Ex, Walton Simons is the director of FEMA. This page about fema includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about fema News stories about fema External links for fema Videos for fema Wikis about fema Discussion Groups about fema Blogs about fema Images of fema |
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In the computer game Deus Ex, Walton Simons is the director of FEMA. However, as the Earth is an oblate spheroid and not a perfect sphere, bulging slightly at the equator, to correctly represent the true shape of the Earth using such paper strips is more difficult. In The X-Files movie, Alvin Kurtzweil tells Fox Mulder that FEMA is involved in the global conspiracy involving aliens. From a geometric point of view, all points on a sphere are equivalent -- one could select any arbitrary point on the Earth, and create a paper map that covers the Earth with strips that come together at that point and the antipodal point. This position includes additional responsibilities beyond FEMA including the oversight of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Incident Response Team, or NIRT. The more strips there are, the less stretching and crumpling is required to make the paper map fit the sphere. After the formation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the official title of the head of FEMA became Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response. [1] Then a small disk is used to paper over the inevitable irregularities at the poles. Qualified persons may submit applications here. The most common type has long, thin strips of paper that touch at the equator, and narrow to a point at the north pole and the south pole. The President is currently hiring for this position. Mass-produced globes are typically covered by a printed paper map. As Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response within DHS. Most modern globes are also imprinted with parallels and meridians so that one could (if only approximately due to scale) tell where a specific point on the surface of the planet is located. As director of Cabinet-level agency:. Sometimes a globe has relief, showing topography; in the case of a globe of the Earth the elevations are exaggerated, otherwise they would be hardly visible. As director of the agency:. This makes it easy to visualize how days and seasons change. Since Hurricane Katrina, some critics have called for FEMA to be removed from the Department of Homeland Security, saying that its position in the department badly hindered the agency's response. In addition to making it easy to use this mounting also represents the angle of the planet in relation to its sun and the spin of the planet. South Florida newspaper Sun-Sentinel has an extensive list of documented criticisms of FEMA during the four hurricanes that hit the region in 2004.[5] Some of the criticisms include:. A globe is usually mounted at an angle on bearings. FEMA does encourage disaster victims to reduce future losses by considering "taking steps to rebuild safer and smarter," advising them to[4]:. The earliest globe, called the "Nürnberg Terrestrial Globe", was made during the years 1490-1492 by German mapmaker Martin Behaim. The Cato Institute's Handbook for Congress argues that private companies could perform the tasks carried about by FEMA, and that this would encourage home construction in safer areas[3]:. The Earth is the most popular planet represented, but globes of the Sun, the Moon and other celestial objects have been made, including fictional ones. Moreover, he said that FEMA is used by incumbent presidents to shore up political support[2]. A typical scale for a globe is roughly 1:40 million. In 1997, James Bovard criticized FEMA for subsidizing rebuilding in places that are vulnerable to natural disasters, asking, "[D]o we really want to help rebuild homes and government property in areas that should never have been built on in the first place?" He also claimed that localities are less likely to fund their own snow removal if they know the federal government will bail them out in the event of snow emergencies[1]. These projections can either enforce angle preservation or area preservation. Survivors of Katrina can learn more about FEMA assistance available at a wiki web site FEMAanswers.org. Spheres such as the Earth are mapped onto a flat surface using a map projection with an inherent degree of distortion. The telephone number to receive disaster assistance from FEMA is 800-621-3362. Globes are the only geographical representation of Earth that have no distortion. There are hundreds of thousands of Katrina evacuees living in temporary shelters and/or trailer parks set up by FEMA and other relief organizations in the first months after the disaster hit. A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of a spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star or moon, in particular Earth, or, alternatively, a spherical representation of the sky with the stars (but without the Sun, Moon, or planets, because their positions vary relative to those of the stars; however, the "orbit" of the Sun is indicated). After the February 7 deadline, Katrina victims will be left to their own devices to either find permanent housing for the long term, or to continue in social welfare programs set up by other organizations. For others, see globe (disambiguation).. FEMA set a deadline of February 7, 2006 as the official end of any further coverage of temporary housing costs for Katrina victims. This article is on a planet model. However, formal investigations have yet to determine who exactly is to blame (and to what extent) for the Katrina disaster. The giant globe in the lobby of The News Building in New York City. It is widely held that many things did not function as planned. The Babson globe in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a 26-foot diameter globe which originally rotated on its axis and on its base to simulate day and night and the seasons. Katrina was seen as the first major test of the nation’s new disaster response plan under DHS. The Mapparium, 30 foot walk-in globe at the Christian Science complex in Boston, intended to be viewed from within. Michael Brown would eventually be relieved of command of the Katrina disaster and soon thereafter resign. Eartha, currently the world's largest rotating globe (41 feet in diameter), at the Delorme headquarters in Yarmouth, Maine. Brown was criticized personally for a slow response and apparent disconnect with the actual situation on the ground. Then FEMA Director Michael D. FEMA was widely criticized for what is seen as a slow initial response to the disaster and an inability to effectively manage, care for and move those trying to leave the city. The situation was compounded by flood waters in the city that hampered transportation and poor communication between the federal government, state and local entities. The enormous number of evacuees simply overwhelmed rescue personnel. Within three days, a large contingent of National Guard and active duty troops were deployed to the region. FEMA was responsible for the evacuation of the thousands of people who remained in New Orleans during the storm, as well as initial recovery work and appropriations. FEMA had pre-positioned response personnel in the Gulf Coast region, however many were only able to report of dire situation along the Gulf Coast, especially from New Orleans. FEMA received intense criticism for its response to the disaster. August 2005 saw one of the worst natural disasters in United States history. (see also Hurricane Katrina). Within the $5.5 billion, FEMA was also allotted funds to pay for its own recovery efforts. As of 2003, FEMA had received US$5.5 billion to distribute amongst local and state agencies to help offset the cost of recovery. FEMA played its largest role in the appropriation of federal funds to aid local and state governments in paying for the disaster. FEMA had deployed 25 of the 28 Urban Search and Rescue teams at its disposal to the World Trade Center site, however the New York City Office of Emergency Management was in charge of the WTC recovery effort. In the minutes after the first hijacked plane slammed into the World Trade Center towers, FEMA as well as emergency services all over the city and state of New York were mobilized. (see also September 11 2001 attacks). FEMA had previously been criticized for its response to Hurricane Hugo, which hit South Carolina in September 1989, and many of the same issues that plagued the agency during Hurricane Andrew were also evident during the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Within five days, the federal government and neighboring states had dispatched 20,000 National Guard and active duty troops to South Dade County to set up temporary housing. FEMA and the federal government at large were accused of not responding fast enough to house, feed, and sustain the approximately 250,000 people left homeless in the affected areas. FEMA was widely criticized for the agency’s response to Andrew, summed up by the famous exclamation, "Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one?" by Dade County, Florida, emergency management director Kate Hale. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck the Florida and Louisiana coasts with 165 mph (265 km/h) sustained winds. (see also Hurricane Andrew). There are also Mobile Air Transportable Telecommunications System (MATTS) assets which can be airlifted in. For instance, they may operate a truck with satellite uplink, computers, telephone, and power generation at a staging area near a disaster, so that the responders can communicate with the outside world. These teams provide communications support to local public safety. mines. These task forces rescue victims of structural collapse and other confined spaces, ex. National Medical Response Teams (NMRT) are equipped to decontaminate victims of chemical and biological agents. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) provide mortuary and forensic services. There are also National Nursing Response Teams (NNRT), National Pharmacy Response Teams (NPRT), and Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT). Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) provide medical care at disasters and are typically made up of doctors and paramedics. Teams are made up of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc, and are typically sponsored by hospitals, public safety agencies, or private organizations. These teams provide medical and allied care to disaster victims. FEMA's emergency response is based around small, decentralized teams trained in such specialties as medical care, search and rescue, and communications. Other programs FEMA previously administered have since been internalized or shifted under direct DHS control. Fire Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA currently manages the U.S. The Director reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Today, FEMA exists as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. As a result, FEMA Director Michael Brown was relieved of command of the Gulf Coast region and resigned shortly thereafter. FEMA and DHS both came under intense criticism for their handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005 (see Katrina and Criticism sections below). [Washington Post Dec 23, 2005]. Brown, FEMA's director and DHS Undersecretary, warned that the shift would make a mockery of FEMA's new motto, "A Nation Prepared," and would "fundamentally sever FEMA from its core functions," "shatter agency morale," and "break longstanding, effective and tested relationships with states and first responder stakeholders." The inevitable result of the reorganization of 2003, warned Brown, would be "an ineffective and uncoordinated response" to a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. In September, 2003, Michael D. As a result, FEMA became part of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of DHS, and employs more than 2,600 full time employees. FEMA was absorbed into DHS as of 2003. Following the Terrorist Attacks of 11 September 2001, President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better coordinate between the different federal agencies that deal with law enforcement, disaster preparedness and recovery, border protection and civil defense. The end of the Cold War also allowed the agency’s resources to be turned away from civil defense to natural disaster preparedness. Witt initiated reforms that would help to streamline the disaster recovery and mitigation process. In 1993 President Bill Clinton elevated FEMA to a cabinet level position and named James Lee Witt as FEMA Director. These disasters, while showing the agency could function properly, also uncovered some inefficiencies. FEMA also responded to the Three Mile Island nuclear accident where the nuclear generating station suffered a partial core meltdown. One of the first disasters FEMA responded to was the dumping of toxic waste into Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York in the late 1970’s. FEMA was also given the responsibility for overseeing the nation’s Civil Defense, a function which had previously been performed by the Department of Defense’s Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. FEMA absorbed the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Preparedness Agency of the General Services Administration and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration activities from HUD. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter, at the prompting of the National Governor’s Association, signed Executive Order 12148 which put a new agency, FEMA, in charge of coordinating all disaster relief efforts at the federal level. Many government agencies were still involved in disaster relief, in some cases over 100 separate agencies may be jockeying for control and jurisdiction of a disaster. This agency would oversee disasters such as Hurricane Carla in 1962, Hurricane Betsy in 1965, Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the Alaskan (Good Friday) Earthquake of 1964 and the San Fernando Earthquake of 1971. By the start of the 1960’s, federal disaster relief and recovery was brought under the umbrella of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which created the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration. This “piecemeal approach” to disaster recovery was troubled by poor interagency cooperation and bureaucratic red tape. Army Corps of Engineers authority over flood control and irrigation projects and thus played a major role in disaster recovery from flooding. The Flood Control Act of 1944 also gave the U.S. The Bureau of Public Roads in 1934 was given authority to finance the reconstruction of highways and roads after a disaster. RFC can be considered the first organized federal disaster response agency. RFC was also responsible for dispensing federal dollars in the wake of a disaster. The purpose of the RFC was to lend money to banks and institutions to stimulate economic activity. After the start of the Great Depression in 1929, President Herbert Hoover had commissioned the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) in 1932. POOP. After President Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre, the 54th Congress passed legislation compensating those who were injured in the theatre. Examples of these include the waiving of duties and tariffs to the merchants of New York City after a fire in the mid 1830’s. Between 1803 and 1930, ad-hoc legislation was passed more than 100 times for relief or compensation after a disaster. This is widely considered the first piece of legislation passed by the federal government that provided relief after a disaster and can be viewed as the beginnings of federal policies to provide relief after a disaster. The Seventh Congress passed a number of measures in the Congressional Act of 1803, which provided relief for the merchants of Portsmouth by waiving duties and tariffs on goods. The first major disaster in the history of the United States was a series of devastating fires in the port city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The history of FEMA can be divided into the following parts. The United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has existed in one form or another for over 200 years. . FEMA provides financial assistance to individuals and governments to rebuild homes, businesses, and public facilities; trains firefighters and emergency medical professionals; and funds emergency planning throughout the United States and its territories. FEMA coordinates the work of federal, state, and local agencies in responding to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Mainly, FEMA responds to any disaster that occurs in the United States that is declared a federal disaster area by the President of the United States. The agency is charged with what it defines as four domains of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA is a government agency in the United States which is organized under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. David Paulison (acting), September 2005. R. Brown, March 2003 - September 2005. Michael D. Allbaugh, February 2001 - March 2003. Joe M. John Magaw (acting), January 2001 - February 2001. James Lee Witt, April 1993 - January 2001. Tidball (acting), January 1993 - April 1993. William C. Stickney, August 1990 - January 1993. Wallace E. Jennings (acting), May 1990 - August 1990. Jerry D. Morris (acting), June 1989 - May 1990. Robert H. Becton, Jr., November 1985 - June 1989. Julius W. Morris (acting), September 1985 - November 1985. Robert H. Giuffrida, May 1981 - September 1985. Louis O. McConnell (acting), April 1981 - May 1981. John W. Bernard Gallagher (acting), January 1981 - April 1981. John Macy, August 1979 - January 1981. Thomas Casey (acting), July 1979. Gordon Vickery (acting), April 1979 - July 1979. Office of Emergency Preparedness, May 1975-April 1979. Hafer, E.O.P. James K. Ten of the people whose funerals were paid for were not even in Florida at the time of their deaths.[8]. FEMA used hurricane aid money to pay funeral expenses for at least 203 Floridians whose deaths were not caused by the 2004 Hurricanes, the state's coroners have concluded. Senate committee and the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security found that FEMA inappropriately declared Miami-Dade county a disaster area and then awarded millions, often without verifying storm damage or a need for assistance.[6][7]. A U.S. When Hurricane Frances hit South Florida on Labor Day weekend, (over 100 miles north of Miami-Dade County) 9,800 Miami-Dade applicants were approved by FEMA for $28 million in storm claims for new furniture, clothes, thousands of new televisions, microwaves, and refrigerators, cars, dental bills and a funeral even though the Medical Examiner recorded no deaths from Frances. Consider buying flood insurance. Encourage community to participate in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Take measures to reduce losses in the future. |